Waterford Senior Football Championship gets underway this weekend

The county senior football championship throws in later this evening when Kilrossanty and Ardmore do battle at Fraher Field.

Over the past number of years the championship has been dominated by the Stradbally, Ballinacourty and The Nire, but behind them is a group of teams who are knocking at the door, but so far while some have reached county semi finals and finals none have cracked the dominance of the big three and the question has to be asked will 2014 be the year when it happens.

An interesting stat from the last two years is that a team that has contested the opening game of the championship has gone on to win it. Stradbally did it in 2012 and Ballinacourty in 2013. The question now has to be asked can Kilrossanty or Ballinacourty repeat the act in 2014.

Of the sides that are closing in on the dominance of the big three, Kilrossanty are one of the sides that you can’t but feel can break the dominance.

This year is the third year they are under the guidance of John ‘Jackson’ Kiely and any team under him you can be assured will be well prepared and in with a shout as he will leave nothing to chance.

Over the past two years they have gone out of the championship at the quarter final stages, on both occasions to The Nire and on both occasions after they had contested the game of the year.

There is no doubting that they have the ability to make that break through. Its not long ago that they had to play their most fierce rivals John Mitchell’s in a relegation play off. They won that game which was possibly a major wake up call and since then steady progress has been made.

Now is their time to show that they can move to the next level and they will be fancied to push for a semi final or even a county final spot this year.

With the likes of Tommy Prendergast, Ian Walsh, Paul Whyte, Joey Veale and hopefully Stephen Prendergast in their side this year they have the players that can bring lead them to the next level.

However, they have a tough opening game against Ardmore.

Things may have not gone well for the ‘Round Tower’ men in recent years but there can be no doubting the ability that they have.

In the likes of Clinton Hennessy, the Prendergast brothers Seamus and Declan, Wayne Hennessy, John and David Gartland and especially Seamus Keating they have the players to mix it with the rest.

However if one thing is to go against Ardmore this year it is that they are once more a duel club, and over the years a number of clubs within the county have found this a hard act to balance.

They will be giving plenty of attention to both games, but at the end of the day, as the championship progresses the attention be it intensely or otherwise the focus will slip towards one code and as a result, the other may suffer slightly and they could be brought into a relegation dog fight.

Kilrossanty get the nod to win here especially if Paul Whyte is fit after picking up an injury while playing with Waterford, but it could be a close one.

Five games are down for decision on Sunday, three of which are in Dungarvan, two in Walsh Park.

Ballinacourty get their defence of the Conway Cup underway at Fraher Field when they take on Rathgormack.

Its sees the current senior football champions take on the current Under 21 ‘A’ Football champions which suggests that a good game could be fought out with plenty of ability on both sides.

Ballinacourty will once again be looking to the Hurney brothers for inspiration this year, but they have others also in the likes of Shane Briggs, Stephen Enright, Sean O’Hare and Mark Ferncombe amongst others that are all leaders on the field of play, and when Richie Foley who played no part in the National Hurling league with Waterford this year due to injury returns to full fitness, it will further strengthen the champions hand.

Rathgormack disappointed somewhat last year and will be looking for an improvement this year.

They have some quality players in the likes of Gavin Nugent, Nigel Skehan, Brendan Crotty, Ronan Cahill, Jamie Kirwan, Stephen Kirwan and Jason Gleeson some or all of whom have come through from successful underage teams in the recent past.

The question to be asked now is can these and other players transfer their underage form and successes to the adult scene.

Ballinacourty go into the league in good form. They have won their opening two games in the county senior football league. But so too has Rathgormack. They will know that if there is a good time to play a fancied time in the championship it’s in the opening game. Can they win? They have a chance but it’s hard to see Ballinacourty get beaten.

Game of the weekend could be the last game of the weekend when An Rinn and Clashmore clash at Fraher Field.

Like Kilrossanty, these two sides are not far off breaking the dominance of the Big Three.

When the sides clashed in the championship last year at the quarter final stages, victory went to An Rinn who in winning contested their first county semi final since the 1920’s.

Both of these players have some quality players. For Clashmore, they will be looking to the likes of Cillian O’Keeffe, Kieran Connery, Colm, Sean and Tadhg Bourke, Declan Allen, Paul O’Connor, Declan Allen, John Prendergast, Brian O’Halloran and also should have Sean Fleming back in their colours this year after work duties took him out of the country for much of last year.

An Rinn, too have some quality players. Liam O Lonáin is in fine form of late in the Waterford colours and he will be looking to transfer this form to his club colours this weekend.

He will be ably assisted by the likes of Tadhg Ó hUallachain, Jamie De Barúin, Ferdia Ó hAodha as well as the Breathnach brothers for much of their guidance but they will also be hoping that some of the members from the An Gaeltacht side that won a Minor county ‘A’ title a few years back now will be stepping up and showing what they can do.

As pointed out, this could well prove to be the game of the weekend and possibly the closest. On paper little separates the sides and to try and pick a winner before the game could be done by flicking a coin, however Clashmore get the nod to collect the points in this game.

Gaultier and Stradbally are down as the game of the weekend at the city venue this weekend.

While there is three teams deemed to be dominating the senior football championship in recent years of the three in the eyes of many Stradbally are the side that lead the way since the turn of the century.

While they were beaten and some would say beaten well in last years county final against Ballinacourty, there is nothing to suggest that Stradbally will not be up there contesting again this year.

Yes, some of their players are around now with a while and some of won six or seven senior football medals at this stage, at the same time they are bringing one or two new players forward each year.

Once more this year they will be looking to the likes of Tony Grey, the Ahern Brothers and Brick Walsh for much of their inspiration this year, but they will also have the likes of the Costello’s, Shane Lannon, David Grey, the Casey’s Tommy Connors and Jack Mullaney to assist in their quest to move a step closer to the record number of county finals won by Dungarvan.

Gaultier are a side that have disappointed somewhat in recent years, but with the way the draws have worked out this year they will be confident that they can reach the knockout stages of the championship.

They have some quality footballers in the likes of Gary Molloy, Ian Power and Mark Wyse. They also have JJ and Wayne Hutchinson who have attracted the attention of Waterford manager Niall Carew towards the end of last year and this year and he has included them in his teams throughout the league.

Gaultier will know that they have drawn a short straw again this year in playing Stradbally in the first round of the championship.

But while they have drawn a short straw, they will also know that they will have gotten one of the strongest outfits in the championship out of the way very early and after this they can concentrate on teams that would be seen at the same strength as themselves for much of the rest of the league section of the championship, giving them an excellent chance of advancing to the last eight.

They may also see in getting a strong team who by the way have lost their opening two games in the county league as a chance to maybe creating something of shock in the opening round of game as they would be expected to get stronger as the championship progresses.

Stradbally get the nod to win here, but maybe Gaultier could make it very difficult for them.

The opening game at Fraher Field on Sunday sees the Nire take on Ballinameela.

The Nire as we all know are there or there about with the past few years and could well be there again in 2014.

We all know of the talent that they have. Shane Walsh, Liam Lawlor and Jamie Barron are known to many as fine hurlers but they are also fine and maybe even better footballers.

Add in the likes of the O’Gorman brothers Thomas, Maurice and Michael, Conor Gleeson who has the makings of a quality player in both Hurling and football in the years ahead, Michael Moore, Brian Wall, Shane Ryan, Darren Guiry and Tommy Wall and you can see that the side in yellow and blue shirts will not be over turned so easily this year.

Ballinameela in recent years have enjoyed a bit of a roller coaster ride, winning two intermediate championships, reaching a county senior semi final and have also got themselves relegated.

Right now its hard to say how they will do this year. Last year they reached the quarter finals and to do the same this year would be seen as a success.

Like the other sides in the competition they have some quality players in the likes of the Curran’s, Phelan’s, Walsh’s, Jason Morrissey and Lorcan Looby.

Like Gaultier, Ballinameela will know that they have a tough opening game to this years championship but they will also know the best time to play one of the stronger teams is in the opening round of games.

The Nire should win here.

There is a big all city game in Walsh Park on Sunday afternoon when Saint Saviours and De La Salle clash.

Saint Saviours for many years often found themselves battling against relegation but were often able to put in one huge performance each year to keep themselves in the senior grade.

Last year they had their best year in a number of years playing at the top level by reaching the quarter finals and will be looking to do the same this year. They won a junior second string championship last year and they should be looking to bring some of the younger members of that panel into their senior set up this year.

Dean Crowley has attracted the attention of the County Senior Football selectors over the past year and he has held his place in the team throughout the league and will have improved as a footballer as a result playing against some top quality footballers from other counties as well as with some of the best footballers within the county.

Add in the likes of the experienced Paul Holohan, John Paul Jacob, John Paul Collingwood and Adam Brophy and it’s clear to see that the Ballybeg based club have the players to win them a place in the knockout stages of the championship again this year.

De La Salle are new to the senior grade this year, having come up from the intermediate grade at the end of last year having gone close over a few years previous to winning the championship.

They gave a very good account of themselves in the Munster Championship drawing with a strong Ballyporeen side at Clonmel before loosing at Walsh Park and this experience should stand to them this year.

Like every other team in the championship they have some quality players in the championship they have some fine players to choose from in the likes of David Dennison, Ian Cantwell, Mitchell Casey, Kenneth Byrne, Paddy Kennedy and Lee Hayes. Some of their senior hurlers are also quality footballers, but it remains to be seen how many if any will be lining out with the footballers this year. If they do, then expect De La Salle to make life difficult for many this year.

Like many games this weekend, this could well prove to be a close game. As I said, De La Salle will be no push overs for anyone and will be better players this year as a result of the experienced picked up in the past year or two. However, Saint Saviours greater experience at this grade should stand to them meaning that they get the nod to win by a small margin.